shaunmcfd wrote in post #18346044It seems like a love/hate relationship with him and some stuff he sells. I'm not doing weddings yet, just doing lots of research before I start. You have any recommendations other than GF?

My go-to solution for on camera event photography is to bounce with my 580EXII, usually using the built in white card to kick a little light forward. I feel that this works best in many situations. I try to keep the lens at short tele focal lengths, or at least make sure I am standing back far enough that the light doesn't get too high over the subjects head. Aiming the flash back over your shoulder helps with this too.

I don't like getting too close to subjects due to perspective distortion, but if I have no choice I would use something like the Rogue Flashbender or a piece of craft foam attached to the flash and still bounce the majority of the light.

shaunmcfd wrote in post #18346044It seems like a love/hate relationship with him and some stuff he sells. I'm not doing weddings yet, just doing lots of research before I start. You have any recommendations other than GF?

Neilv's blog had some good write ups on techniques for using bounce flash to create more dramatic light and shadows. He advocates using the black foamie thing....which the flashbender is basically an expensive version of.

Also grab a cheap stoffen and a way to fire your flash off camera as necessary. Weddings are very situational and you'll have to alter your approach to lighting based on the environment (i.e. boucne flash only works well if you have good surfaces to work with)

Magmods are very popular amongst photographers in my locality as per a frequented Facebook page.

I've mostly turned my nose to them for two reasons:1. Unless I completely misunderstand the nature of hard vs soft light, if you're not markedly increasing the size of the light source relative to the subject its not actually softening the light. The Fong Dong and MagMod give you maybe 2-3x the surface area as the bare flash head and also shotgun light against God knows whatever colored wall or table cloth you're standing next to while photographing.2. You can get a pocket softbox to accomplish the same thing for much, much cheaper, that folds away inconspicuously into your camera bag. I wouldn't go with the Magsphere or Fong diffuser even if it were the cheaper option simply for the precious real estate it eats up in a backpack. https://www.amazon.com ...fRID=5TEAN7W464311A​HKQJ1Q

We use it on occasion depending on the situation with success. You can find them used for a good price. It works for us in throwing the light a lot softer when we have to use direct flash with nowhere to bounce.

shaunmcfd wrote in post #18346040Anyone use one at weddings? Thoughts? Sample shots with it?

I went with the MagSphere to try it out for direct on-camera flash use for when you can't use off-camera or strobes. I liked it at first, but I had to be realistic and try it versus simply using a flash bender (bounce source) and simply using it as bare flash with the FEC of the ETTL dialed down as fill light only (not key) and the blends are mostly the same, so the MagSphere really doesn't do much compared to bare flash when used as fill light. And when using it as a bounce item, it just takes away light output and throw a wee bit forward. It's not really softer light through and it does not wrap around better or anything, the physical size just isn't there for those effects. Ultimately I like the system for its gels and easy to changing things out, but I wouldn't use the Sphere, I'd only go for the system for fast changing gels and/or grids if you need directional colored light.

MalVeauX wrote in post #18347774I went with the MagSphere to try it out for direct on-camera flash use for when you can't use off-camera or strobes. I liked it at first, but I had to be realistic and try it versus simply using a flash bender (bounce source) and simply using it as bare flash with the FEC of the ETTL dialed down as fill light only (not key) and the blends are mostly the same, so the MagSphere really doesn't do much compared to bare flash when used as fill light. And when using it as a bounce item, it just takes away light output and throw a wee bit forward. It's not really softer light through and it does not wrap around better or anything, the physical size just isn't there for those effects. Ultimately I like the system for its gels and easy to changing things out, but I wouldn't use the Sphere, I'd only go for the system for fast changing gels and/or grids if you need directional colored light.

Very best,

With the sphere, we would never use it for fill or bounce. Don't think that was ever the intent for it. The main goal for us as far as the sphere is to use it with the key, mostly straight on. Just gives for us a better softer light on the face. ie we are at a wedding and the bride grabs us to get a shot of her with whomever. Can't bounce and the light is not great in the room. The sphere works great in that instance. Especially if she has been running around and now the makeup is not the best and any direct light will show off all those imperfections or shiny face you might get . The sphere just softens it and throws it out a little better to get more coverage with the light.

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